ing to the Genevans; and the means taken to bring them to compliance, were ftill more offenfive. Disturbances and bloodflied were indirectly either promoted or countenanced, by foine dark intrigues, with a view to make them fenfible that the only remedy, for thofe domeftic confufions, was to throw themselves into the arms of the French. But this attempt was not fuccefsful; nor even approved by numbers of the French themfelves. They condemned it as manifefting an ambition incompatible with thole principles of moderation, on which true republicans ought to value themselves, and which the French held forth to Europe as the maxims by which they had refolved to conduct themfelves. Were Europe once convinced that the ancient fyftem of conqueft and encroachment on the territories of its neigh bours, which had rendered France fo odious under the monarchy, were to be continued under the republic, the neceflity of felf-defence would gradually unite every country against it: in which cafe, notwithstanding the brilliant career of its arms hitherto, patience and perfeverance, on the part of the numerous enemies that fo unjuftifiable a conduct would create, muft in the end prevail, and both the glory and character of integrity, at which the French ought equally to aim in their political proceedings, would be forfeited.

In addition to thefe motives, for abstaining from a forced incorporation of Geneva with France, it was urged that the inhabitants of that city and its territory, though forming but a fmall fiate, were to jealous of their independency, that they would never.confent to refign it. The

very circumfcription of that flåte, made every member of it the more fenfible of his perfonal weight in its affairs, and of the freedom which he enjoyed. To deprive him of the fatisfaction, arifing from fuch a fitua tion, would be a wanton exertion of the fuperior ftrength of the rupublic, which would redound much more to its difgrace than benefit. Stung with rage at a treatment which they did not deferve, the citizens of Geneva would defert it, and carry to other countries that induftry to which alone it owed its flourishing fituation during fo many years. The mere poffeffion of the place itfelf would prove a poor recom penfe for the expulfion of its inhabitants, which, however indirectly effected, would not be the lefs real. In the mean while, they would exhibit, in the various places of their voluntary banishment, living proofs of the ambition and tyranny France. The nearest of its neighbours would fee their own destiny in that of thofe unhappy fugitives, and learn from thence the obligation they were under, of embracing one of thefe two alternatives; either of fubmitting to the like treatment, or of preparing manfully to refift it. Of thofe who would be constrained to adopt this refolution, the first would be the Swifs, a people noted for ages on account of their love of liberty, and of their aftonishing atchievements in its defence. Such a people, if united, France would find a formidable enemy: nor was it indeed to be fuppofed, they would tamely behold the annexation of Geneva to France, by compulfory means, nor even by the voluntary conceflion of its inhabitants. They were bound, in the former of thefe cafes, to athift them, and in the latter

of

they

they would hardly permit fuch an acquifition to France in fo near a neighbourhood, and of fo dangerous a tendency, without feriously interpofing to prevent it. This, of courfe, must be attended with confequences of which the ultimate iffe could not be ascertained, but which would undoubtedly be productive of many calamities.

Arguments of this nature were indifcriminately ufed by the Genevans, the many French individuals that efpouted their caufe, and by thofe perlons in Switzerland, who forefaw the difficulties, wherein the Helvetic body must neceffarily be involved, were the directory to perfift in fo unequitable a project. It was therefore abandoned: but the iniquitous ambition that had prompted it fill remaining ungratified, fought a revenge for its dilappointment, in the harth ufage of the feveral agents deputed from Geneva to Paris, whom it ignominioufly expelled from that city, on no other pretence, than that they did not come with thofe friendly views that became the ftate which fent them. But the Genevans, undifcouraged by this treatment, perfevered unremittingly in the determination to remain a separate state, and continued to labour with the more vigour in improving the government they had eftablifhed, when they found themfelves countenanced by the moderate party in France, which, happily for them, was the most numerous.

The motives that were thought to have actuated the directory in a tranfaction, from which they reaped finally fo little honour, were the dere to fignalize themselves by the acquifition of a ftate, which, however inconfiderable in ftrength and

extent, had obtained a highly-deferved reputation throughout Europe, by the induftry and ingenuity of its inhabitants; and, more than all, by the diftinguished figure it had maintained, and the high spirit it had dif played, in thofe active and tempeftuous fcenes that were produced by the reformation. It had long been confidered as the original feat of calvinism, and the rival of Rome itfelf in matters of religion. Here the famous founder of that fect lived and died, after having, by his unconquerable courage, laid the foundation of the most refolute affocia, tion of men that ever figured in modern ages. From the principles which he inculcated, arofe that reformation in religion which was grafted on republican maxims. Hence it was immediately adopted by all that afpired at freedom. It filled France with the moft intrepid afferters of civil as well as religious rights. It fpread into the low countries, where it erected the republic of Holland. It made its way into England and Scotland, where it gradually anima ted the inquifitive and daring fpirits of the laft century in this country to thofe researches into the nature of government, and to thofe exertions in the caufe of national freedom, which, had not fanaticism intervened, would probably have terminated fo happily for all parties. Geneva, during the fixteenth and feventeenth centuries, had been the central point of communication between the principal actors of this high fpirited party. Beza, a far greater character than Calvin, no lefs inflexible, but much lefs auftere, added luftre and importance to this place, by his learning and many other refpectable qualities. He con[N3]

tinue 3

tinued like him the oracle of his party, and was vifited and confulted by all the great champions it produced, both in arms and literature. All these circumftances conferred a fplendour upon Geneva, that entitled it to great diftinction. The first kings and fiates in Europe, of the proteftant perfuafion, treated it unanimoufly with every mark of refpect, and it continued on this honourable footing even during the reign of Lewis the fourteenth, who firove feveral times in vain to fubdue the fpirit with which it refified his attempts to influence its government. The annexation of fo celebrated a ftate to the French empire appeared, to the directory, an object worthy of their attention, and they were ferioufly chagrined at their failure.

A compenfation for their difappointment offered itfelf, about the fame time, in a province, wherein they might claim a better right to exercife their fway, and from which both they and their countrymen would derive more honour and profit. This was the province of fcience and literature, that had remained neglected during the confufions attending the antecedent periods of the revolution. The neceffity of reviving the fpirit of genius, that had lain a while dormant, or had only been bufied in the arts of deftruction, roufed at once the attention of government, and of the whole nation. The great numbers of literary men in France, exerted themselves, on this occafion, with the moft commendable zeal. Setting afide all partialities, on religious and political accounts, they cordially united in profecuting the plan propofed by the ruling powers, for a regular cultivation of all those depart

ments of knowledge and polite learning, that conduce to the utility and glory of a nation.

Defirous of giving this revival of the encouragements, due to literature, all the folemnity of which it was fufceptible, the directory appointed the fourth of April, 1796, for a public meeting of all the members of the national institute, eftablifhed the preceding year, at the era of the new conftitution. The meeting was held in the largest hall of the ancient palace of the Louvre. All the literati, and all the men of genius and reputation in the polite and liberal arts attended. The directory, the councils, and all perfons in the principal departments of government were prefent, together with the foreign minifters, and as many, fpectators as the hall could contain. The purpose of the meeting was formally announced, in a fpeech made by the prefident of the directory. France, he faid, delivered from paft miferies, had now refolved to revive thofe arts, through the cultivation of which the nation had rifen to fo high a degree of re putation, and commanded the refpect of all Europe. It was the determination of government, to pay them all the attention, and give them all the encouragement and recompenfe which they could poffibly claim from a free and enlightened people. The prefident of the na tional inftitute, citizen Dufaulx, replied, in the name of his brethren, that they were all equally animated with the love of freedom, of knowledge, and of arts; that they were firmly attached to the republic from principle, and the confcioufnefs that in the bofom of freedom all those great fentiments are generated and nurtured, that dignify human nature,

and

nations.

The folemnity of this day, and the hopes it infpired, that a renewal was at hand of the arts and occupations of peace, filled the public with the highest fatisfaction. Difcerning people obferved, on this occafion, that the liberty of thinking and publishing, fo carefully fettered under the former government, was an advantage of much more confequence than the generality feemed to perceive. Exclufively of thofe apprehenfions for perfonal fafety, which were now removed, remunerations would flow in equal proportion to perfons of all religious perfuafions, and neither dignity nor income would be appropriated to any particular fect. This would at once deftroy all other motives, in the inveftigation of truth, than that of arriving at a difcovery. While the champions of only one fect were falaried for maintaining its doctrines, and all others precluded from op. pofing them, by the fevereft penalties, with what face could any man prefend to affert their rectitude? It was folely by freedom of disquifition that truth was difcoverable; and the most valuable confequence of the revolution was the abrogation of that exclufive privilege, which ignorance and imbecility had conferred upon the clergy of the eftablished church, that of filencing, without any other argument than threats and terror, all thofe who dared to diffent from their opinions.

The fact, at this period, was, that though a prodigious mafs of the French nation ftill remained enLaved to the Romish tenets, multitudes in all claffes had imbibed a propensity to think and fpeak on ubjects relating to religion, with

as

the moft boundless restraint: thefe latter had been experimentally found the ftaunchest friends to liberty, and the former its most inveterate foes, it was natural to conclude, that the ecclefiaftics, adhering to the church of Rome, who were the fpiritual guides of thefe, were allo the inftigators of this rancour. Hence the ftrictnefs and feverity with which they were conftantly watched. Hence too the averseness of the conftituted authorities, to permit any fpecies of authority to refide in any ecclefiaftical body, left, as the experience of all times had invariably fhewn, it fhould gradually obtain an influence over the minds of men incompatible with the rights of government.

The fpirit that brought about the revolution was in direct oppofition to thofe claims of implicit belief, on which all fpiritual authority is founded. While the monarchy continued part of the conftitution, finding the priesthood, either from intereft or bigotry, its most faithful and firmeft fupporters, it repaid their affiftance with its own. It was this alliance, between the church and the crown, that finally ruined both; and induced their deftroyers to confider them as inimical, from their very effence, to political liberty; and inadmiffible, on this account, into any fyftem founded on that principle. After the king's death, the clergy underwent the fevereft perfecution, thofe only excepted who had taken the oaths of fidelity to the republic. During the ftormy and tyrannical government of Roberfpierre, the civil eftalifhment of the Gallican church was formally annulled, and even thofe ecclefiaftics, who adhered to the republican government, were deprived of the N4] regular

regular maintenance hitherto al lowed them.

After the fall of the tyrant, the convention decreed a variety of mitigations in the laws that had been enacted against the nonjuring clergy. It proclaimed the fulleft liberty of worship, and required no other than a fimple declaration of fubmiffion to the laws, from thofe clergymen who exercised their profeffional functions, together with an acknowledgment of the fovereignty. of the people. But those who fubfcribed to thefe conditions, together with their followers, were branded,, by the nonjuring clergy and their adherents, as guilty of apoftacy. Much of that fpiritual antipathy took place between thofe diffenting parties, which has fo long proved the difgrace and the bane of religion. But the ruling powers, faithful to their determination of im partiality, paid no attention to thofe diffentions; and, as they had for mally declared, that no particular mode of worship fhould be main, tained at the public expence, nor be protected exclufively to any other, they went no farther than to prevent thofe animofities from breaking out to the disturbance of the peace of the community; and to this end en acted penalties to punish and reprefs them.

As that part of the French clergy and nation, which openly profeffed allegiance to government, by conforming to its ordinances, and making the declarations prefcribed, could not fail of being viewed with a favourable eye, it ventured to take fome steps which were thought hazardous, in the opinion of thofe who dreaded the jealouly they might occafion. A meeting of

fome of thofe bishops, who were called conftitutional, from their hav ing taken the civic oaths enjoined by the conftituent affembly, fo ftyled from having framed the first conftitution, was held in the beginning of 1795, in order to confult how to reftore order, and regularity in the worship and difcipline of the church, and to replace it on a footing of ftability, after the confufions that had fo violently difturbed its peace. They made a declaration, at the fame time, which was highly ac ceptable to the friends of harmony and univerfal toleration in religious matters. They frankly and explicitly avowed their affent to the feparation of the church from the ftate, acknowledging it to be the most effectual means of eradicating thofe corruptions and fcandalous practices that had been produced by their union, and fo deplorably tainted that purity of manners, and integrity of life, which ought to accompany the ecclefiaftical profeffion. Religion, they faid, when unconnected with politics, would refume that influence over mankind, which arifes from innocence and virtue. The great and the powerful would refpect it the more for demanding from them only the protection of the state in return for its obedience and conformity to the laws of the land.

Thefe were declarations very uncommon in the ecclefiaftical affemblies of modern ages. But numbers of the moft zealous friends to Chriftianity, applauded them with fervent fincerity, as tending to diveft religion of thofe appendages, which made it doubtful whether its afferters and followers were influ enced by conviction, or by intereft; and to bring it back to the princi

plesa